Rossignol Black Ops Gamer 118
length: 186 (pull length 184.5)
145-118-140
radius = 25
weight/ski: 2438 gm
Mount point +1 from rec. mount point (in my case)
A ski that gets no love here. It's never been reviewed here, that I know of.
(And it's a ski that's mostly best for mid-size to smaller skiers, when set up optimally, near as I can tell).
(However, this ski is considered the best ski of all time by one or more of the lighter weight Blistergear testers.
I'm glad they found this ski, since they missed the K2 Pettitors completely.)
This ski was originally just the Black Ops 118. That works for me, but later it became the Gamer.
I don't really like that name for a flagship ski, so I'll call it instead the Black Ops 118.
This ski has very few comparables, ever.
This 118 is my favorite soft snow ski (besides the no longer current K2 Pettitors), great for anything 2" on up, for me.
It is the best crud ski I've been on,
maybe only the Moment Chipotle Banana (which I've not been on) and/or K2 Pettitors being as good.
And it has decent float/playfulness in powder also. At maybe almost any depth.
(At least for a lighter weight guy.)
And it will charge groomers well, on a Colorado "old snow" day. Just super there.
Not sure at just what depth of snow I'd want to be instead on the K2 Pettitor 120:
maybe at over a foot or so, not sure; or if one wants to charge harder;
or if snow conditions somehow get rougher. Or if one is larger.
Sometimes it's a coin toss, actually. Both work well almost everywhere at a resort.
At any rate, the Black Ops OG is slightly more turny, slightly less heavy, and a bit less effort to handle at times than the Pettitors,
even though it is slightly less stable sometimes also.
Both are tanks, yet incredibly dialed in turny when that is wanted, in both powder and any kind of crud. (Both will straight line also.)
Tanks, but easy for even an old guy. Almost Heaven sent.
(At times, the heavier, longer Pettitors have been a bit hard on my left knee early season,
sore after a day of skiing a few times - though not later in the season.
The Black Ops 118s have never caused me such a problem.)
After years of skiing other soft snow skis also, lots of them, and constantly making adjustments and excuses with them,
I finally realized this season I was better off just going with the OG 118s here in Colorado, whatever the ski area,
whatever the soft snow conditions. That way, I'm never disappointed, always on my best ski
(again, with the sometimes exception of the Pettitors, which are a bit different but equal, slightly heavier and longer,
and more stable/chargy just a bit).
The trick to the 118 Black Ops is often to move its mount point forward, until it get "turny,"
or until the fore-aft stability starts to go a bit (and then back off a tad); whichever comes first.
For a bigger guy, probably the fore-aft stability goes first - in which case the ski does not work in its best way, seems like.
But if the "turny" behavior comes first, then you're in business: this ski will work optimally for you too
(probably a medium to shorter or lighter person). Sean Pettit turns.
Dang, but I've gotten almost 20 great days on this ski just this season, and may pass that mark soon!
Don't get me wrong, I've really loved many other soft snow skis, including lots of wide ones. But......
Note: the 118 is currently the big brother of the Black Ops Sender Squad 112, which comes in a longer 194 version only,
and is probably okay for a larger skier, as well as medium or smaller.
This 112 ski is more of a crud ski than a powder ski also.
But moved forward a centimeter or two or three, where it gets "turny," according to the Rossi hard goods folks,
it might well be pretty good in powder too, for a 112 width ski.
This 112 ski is a charger, faster with great stability than all but a few. But it works also at slower speeds,
unlike many such chargers. And it is relatively forgiving.
Two home runs for Rossi.
length: 186 (pull length 184.5)
145-118-140
radius = 25
weight/ski: 2438 gm
Mount point +1 from rec. mount point (in my case)
A ski that gets no love here. It's never been reviewed here, that I know of.
(And it's a ski that's mostly best for mid-size to smaller skiers, when set up optimally, near as I can tell).
(However, this ski is considered the best ski of all time by one or more of the lighter weight Blistergear testers.
I'm glad they found this ski, since they missed the K2 Pettitors completely.)
This ski was originally just the Black Ops 118. That works for me, but later it became the Gamer.
I don't really like that name for a flagship ski, so I'll call it instead the Black Ops 118.
This ski has very few comparables, ever.
This 118 is my favorite soft snow ski (besides the no longer current K2 Pettitors), great for anything 2" on up, for me.
It is the best crud ski I've been on,
maybe only the Moment Chipotle Banana (which I've not been on) and/or K2 Pettitors being as good.
And it has decent float/playfulness in powder also. At maybe almost any depth.
(At least for a lighter weight guy.)
And it will charge groomers well, on a Colorado "old snow" day. Just super there.
Not sure at just what depth of snow I'd want to be instead on the K2 Pettitor 120:
maybe at over a foot or so, not sure; or if one wants to charge harder;
or if snow conditions somehow get rougher. Or if one is larger.
Sometimes it's a coin toss, actually. Both work well almost everywhere at a resort.
At any rate, the Black Ops OG is slightly more turny, slightly less heavy, and a bit less effort to handle at times than the Pettitors,
even though it is slightly less stable sometimes also.
Both are tanks, yet incredibly dialed in turny when that is wanted, in both powder and any kind of crud. (Both will straight line also.)
Tanks, but easy for even an old guy. Almost Heaven sent.
(At times, the heavier, longer Pettitors have been a bit hard on my left knee early season,
sore after a day of skiing a few times - though not later in the season.
The Black Ops 118s have never caused me such a problem.)
After years of skiing other soft snow skis also, lots of them, and constantly making adjustments and excuses with them,
I finally realized this season I was better off just going with the OG 118s here in Colorado, whatever the ski area,
whatever the soft snow conditions. That way, I'm never disappointed, always on my best ski
(again, with the sometimes exception of the Pettitors, which are a bit different but equal, slightly heavier and longer,
and more stable/chargy just a bit).
The trick to the 118 Black Ops is often to move its mount point forward, until it get "turny,"
or until the fore-aft stability starts to go a bit (and then back off a tad); whichever comes first.
For a bigger guy, probably the fore-aft stability goes first - in which case the ski does not work in its best way, seems like.
But if the "turny" behavior comes first, then you're in business: this ski will work optimally for you too
(probably a medium to shorter or lighter person). Sean Pettit turns.
Dang, but I've gotten almost 20 great days on this ski just this season, and may pass that mark soon!
Don't get me wrong, I've really loved many other soft snow skis, including lots of wide ones. But......
Note: the 118 is currently the big brother of the Black Ops Sender Squad 112, which comes in a longer 194 version only,
and is probably okay for a larger skier, as well as medium or smaller.
This 112 ski is more of a crud ski than a powder ski also.
But moved forward a centimeter or two or three, where it gets "turny," according to the Rossi hard goods folks,
it might well be pretty good in powder too, for a 112 width ski.
This 112 ski is a charger, faster with great stability than all but a few. But it works also at slower speeds,
unlike many such chargers. And it is relatively forgiving.
Two home runs for Rossi.
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